Evaluating the performance of nurses: a multidimensional approach.

This article describes the development--including content, structure, validity, and reliability--of the Six-dimension Scale of Nursing Performance (Six-D Scale), which consists of a series of 52 nurse behaviors grouped into six performance subscales: leadership (5 items), critical care (7 items), teaching/collaboration (11 items), planning/evaluation (7 items), interpersonal relations/communications (12 items), and professional development (10 items). The scale may be used to obtain self-appraisals of performance, employer appraisals of performance, or perceived adequacy of nursing school preparation for performance. The case is made for the construct and pragmatic validity of the Six-D Scale, and all six subscales are shown to be highly reliable. The instrument was found to be suitable for performance evaluation as well as a useful research tool.